Prosperity Catalyst Team:
Siiri Morley is the Executive Director of Prosperity Catalyst, a nonprofit organization now working in Haiti and Iraq which provides tools, training and community for women in distressed regions of the world to thrive as skilled entrepreneurs and leaders. The organization’s vision is to create a world where women have the opportunity, capacity and desire to become powerful catalysts for social and economic change. Siiri is also a Founding Partner of Prosperity Catalyst’s sister social enterprise, Prosperity Candle. While helping launch Prosperity Candle she managed the company’s sales, marketing, brand management and partnership development efforts. Before joining Prosperity Candle, Siiri worked on poverty reduction and sustainable economic development projects focused on women in Afghanistan, Croatia, Ecuador and Kenya. She began her career as a business capacity development advisor with the Peace Corps in Lesotho where she worked with a women-led weaving business for three years. She received her MBA from the Heller School of Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University in 2009. In 2012, Siiri was recognized as 1 of 60 notable women in Fast Company’s “League of Extraordinary Women” and was profiled as an “Agent of Change” by PBS Newshour in 2013. Siiri lives in Boston, MA with her husband and puppy. In the spare hours outside of her work with Prosperity Catalyst, she loves to travel, hike, snowshoe, meditate, practice yoga, & host potlucks with a home full of friends.
Siiri can be contacted at siiri {at} prosperitycatalyst.org
Stephanie Finigan is Director of Operations at Prosperity Catalyst. Stephanie’s experience includes eight years working in the private sector before moving into international development. She received a Dual MA in Sustainable International Development and Conflict and Coexistence from Brandeis University, and her professional focus has been on applying private sector solutions to poverty in post-conflict areas. She has worked for Oxfam America, TechnoServe, and Value for Women, and she has lent her support to the development of social enterprises and SMEs in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East, with a focus on supporting the inclusion of girls and women in entrepreneurship. When she’s not working, Stephanie can usually be found writing, running, or on her couch watching wonderfully bad TV.
Thony Querette is Prosperity Catalyst’s Haiti Program Director. Thony joined Prosperity Catalyst in January 2014 to lead our work in Cap Haïtien, Haiti at Fanm Limye, a business run by women determined to see their lives changed through employment opportunities.
Prior to joining Prosperity Catalyst, Thony studied Business Management/Organizational Management at Hobe Sound Bible College in Florida and at Carbon University in Oregon. He then spent over twelve years working in the NGO sector managing large grants related to community development, health, microfinance, youth programs, and livelihoods projects. Thony’s career in Haiti has brought him incredible joy, and he sees working with Fanm Limye as another opportunity to see the lives of powerful women being changed for the better.
When he’s not working, Thony cherishes spending time with his family. He is the proud father of a 3-year-old boy. Thony’s wish for his son is “for him to carry the banner of love wherever he goes so that many lives can be changed in a positive way because of his actions. I know I am asking too much of him, but I have great hope!” Thony’s excitement and confidence in Prosperity Catalyst’s work is contagious, and he believes that together, with hard work, we will make a difference.
Zedan Mohamad joined Prosperity Catalyst as the Iraq Program Director at the start of 2014. Zedan formerly worked for the United States Institute of Peace as a Middle East/North Africa program specialist. He has spent nearly ten years working in civil society, NGO capacity building, and grant management, five of which were spent in Iraq. He is eager to bring economic opportunity to Iraqi War Widows and promote peace and prosperity in the country. In his free time, Zedan enjoys spending time with his wife and children.
Liz Mastors is the Program Officer for Prosperity Catalyst. She is a recent graduate of Tufts University, where she studied Arabic and Entrepreneurial Leadership. Her studies shaped her interest in women-targeted private sector development in the Middle East, and she is a strong believer that providing women with business opportunities is key creating peace in regions of conflict. Liz is also a hobbyist beekeeper and is passionate about promoting beekeeping around the world, both given the urgency of the global bee crisis and its potential as a micro-business opportunity. Liz is a former intern for Prosperity Candle and Prosperity Catalyst, and is excited to be re-joining the team as Program Officer as PC launches in Iraq.
Dardelle Francois (DeeDee) is our Haiti based Operations Manager. DeeDee has been in restaurant management line for over 10 years and has worked in companies like Denny’s and Boston Market. She completed her Bachelors in International Business from Florida Memorial College. DeeDee grew up in the Cap-Haitien area and comes from a highly entrepreneurial family. Her grandmom, at the age of 78, is still self-employed! Although she had very little prior floral arrangement experience and knowledge, DeeDee started her own flower and gift shop about four years ago. She considers herself to be a self-taught florist. DeeDee directs three “on-call” and one full-time staff who manages the operations in her absence. DeeDee is happily married and a proud mother of adorable twin boys (9 years old). She enjoys cooking, baking and experimenting with new recipes.
Consultants and Volunteers:
Kellie Renk is the Financial Management intern at Prosperity Catalyst. She is currently a junior at Bentley University and is looking to obtain her BS in Corporate Finance and Accounting. Kellie discovered a passion for the empowerment of women through entrepreneurship after becoming involved with The Bentley Microfinance Group. Soon after, she began her work with Prosperity Catalyst. Kellie is very excited to apply her passion for women empowerment to her internship opportunity.
Maria Caruso is the Development Intern for Prosperity Catalyst. Maria is thrilled to be a part of an organization that is so dedicated to providing vulnerable women with concrete opportunities for empowering themselves. She graduated from the University of San Francisco where she studied Politics and Middle Eastern Studies. Maria currently works as a Guest Advocate at Crittenton Women’s Union, a local organization that works to find innovative solutions to help families transition out of poverty. In her free time, she enjoys volleyball, biking, and frequent trips to the library.
Hannah Conley is the Fundraising Intern for Prosperity Catalyst. Hannah is a member of the class of 2016 at Babson College. She is very passionate about the work Prosperity Catalyst is doing. As a member of the Woman’s Leadership Program at Babson, she will be traveling to Rwanda to help teach Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and English to high school girls this summer. She works for the Fund for Babson as a Phone-a-thon Caller and also serves as the Director of Community Service for her sorority, Chi Omega.
Prapti Sherchan is the Communications Associate for Prosperity Catalyst. Prapti is very passionate about issues related to gender development and empowerment, and she is excited to be part of a team that’s working to help women empower and provide scalable and sustainable business opportunities. Prapti currently works as an Operations and Learning Consultant at the International Finance Corporation. She recently completed her MBA, with a focus in nonprofit management, from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. She has past experience in developing communication strategies to market programs and in using social media to promote nonprofits. These days in her free time, she is pursuing her interest in photography. She also enjoys movies, baking, and loves to travel.